Most of us are guilty of storing unused apps, thousands of images, emails, and texts and all this ‘junk’ results in a slower running glitchy device. A few simple housekeeping tasks can really give your smartphone a new lease of life, so we’ve put together a handy guide to help you clean up your act!

Delete Unused Apps
It's easy to forget the many apps you download to your smartphone, they just sit there in your phone, unloved and taking up valuable space. A good rule of thumb would be to delete apps you haven’t used in over a month.
It’s a great idea to organise your remaining apps into folders, making them easy to access. Put you most used apps on your homepage so they’re always right on hand. 

Have a Clearout of your Contacts
Just like when you go through your social media contacts and get rid of people you no longer connect with you should do the same with your contacts on your smartphone. Often people change phone numbers and you end up with duplicate details which makes contacting people very confusing. Go through your list carefully and delete unneeded (or unwanted) contacts.

Store and Delete Photos
All those videos and photos you take on your phone are precious memories but how often do you look at tem? Take some time to go through your photos and videos and delete anything you don’t want before storing everything else on your computer, storage device or the cloud.

Tidy up your Texts
Texts (especially ones that contain memes, pictures and videos) take up a lot of memory so it makes good sense to have a good clear out of read messages. Once you’re on top of it try to get into the habit of deleting read messages more often if you can. This includes WhatsApp, archive or delete old groups.

Location Tracking = Battery Draining
Apps that track your location will drain your phone’s battery so ensure only  necessary apps have location tracking authorised. You can check this in your settings.

Clear the Cache
The amount of time we spend on the internet on our smartphones is ever increasing which means the cache is increasing as well. This can cause your phone to run slower so it’s good practice to periodically empty the cache. Check your specific device for information on how to clear the cache and get your phone up to full speed again.

Check for Updates
Make sure your phone is running the latest version of software to ensure you have the latest security and any new features available. Keeping your phone updated will ensure it’s running at its best and give it a new lease of life!
 
Final tip- make sure you regularly clean your phone (especially the screen). A lint free cloth and lens cleaning solution will have your phone looking pristine in no time!
 
If your smartphone is in need of more technical help or you are you would like further help and advice contact us here.

• Clear your Desktop- If you often save random files and downloads to your desktop so you can see them but then forget to move them, delete them or back them up. Then now is a good time to get on top of it. Delete unwanted files and downloads then make some new folders and archive the rest of the files into the appropriate ones. Be sure to then move those folders off your desktop to a suitable location.
  
• Delete Emails- If you currently have 100’s (dare we say 1000’s) of emails sitting in your Inbox then now is definitely a good time to get rid of some or at least organise them into relevant folders. Check out this handy guide to attain the elusive Inbox Zero! Once you’ve got a bit of a handle on things try to stay on top of your inbox by addressing them as they come in and either responding or deleting as appropriate.
• Delete/Uninstall Unused Apps- Remove any apps you downloaded that you no longer use or need but take care when removing software that you don’t recognise as it may be important for the running of your operating system. When in doubt ask a professional for advice first!
• Check for Viruses- Make sure you have up to date antivirus software installed and switched on! And check regularly for viruses. Try to run a weekly or bi-weekly virus scan as part of your maintenance routine.
  
• Clean Your Hardware- Dusty air vents can cause real damage to your components so keep them dust free. Take care when dealing with laptop air vents and consider asking a professional for help and advice if you are at all unsure. Wipe over monitors or laptop screens with a lint free cloth and lens cleaning solution.
• Backup your Data- Undoubtedly one of the most important tasks to do regularly. It’s worth remembering that while your hardware is relatively easy to replace, your valuable data is not. For most of us storing essential data to the cloud would be more than sufficient but if you run a small business we’d highly recommend storing your data to an external hard drive as well as the cloud.

 
If you follow these simple tips, you’ll soon have your computer running as efficiently as possible and it will hopefully continue to run smoothly.
 
As always, if you have any concerns about your tech or need some professional advice please get in touch.

With the lifting of restrictions and the possibility of sun, many of us have and will be taking a well earned break. But what do you do with all your devices while you’re away from home?

Some of them like our smartphones and tablets come along with us (can’t possibly stay away from Insta for a week) while laptops, PC’s etc will most likely be staying put.

Home insurance and/or travel insurance will cover most cases of theft or accidental damage (be sure to check your policy) but it's still a good practice to take a few simple steps to make sure your devices are as safe as they can be.
 
File Genie have put a handy list together to help you get prepared before you set off on holiday:

• Backup your devices! It’s so simple and it should be something you do regularly anyway but let's be honest, it’s easy to forget. Make it a priority to get everything backed up before you leave. Accidents happen and it’s easy to lose all your important data with just the slip of a hand. Don't just back up to the cloud, consider having a backup to a separate hard drive.
• Update your software Again, a simple task that’s easily forgotten but can make a huge difference if anything goes wrong. Making sure you have up-to-date security software is paramount!
• Secure your devices Use a PIN, pattern lock or biometric authentication. Best practice would be to use a combination of biometric authentication and password/PIN. Don’t forget to add security authentication to your laptops and PC’s and please think carefully about any passwords you are using (check out this article on common password mistakes)
• Be wary of which WiFi you connect to. It's tempting to connect to any free WiFi when you’re away and save using up your valuable data allowance but really think carefully before connecting to unsecured public wifi. There’s a huge risk that your devices could be hacked, sensitive data stolen or get infected with malware.
• Be careful what you share on social media You might think you’re just making your friends envious with your beach photos but if you make it public you’re away from home any thieves will be able to take advantage of your absence. Now is a great time to check who sees your posts and consider making it private to friends only so you know only those you trust can see where you are. Check out this great list from Nottinghamshire police on what steps you should take to help deter any would be thieves.

If you follow these steps you can enjoy your holiday knowing your devices are as safe as they can be. Enjoy your holiday or mini break away!
 
We are here for full advice and support whether updating your software and backing up your devices or if you think your device is not operating correctly. Get in touch and find out more about our Health Check.